Dust-pan



N- PETERS. PHDTO-LITHOGRAPMER. WASHINGTON. D. C.

UNTTEB STATES PATENT @FETCH T. E. MCNEILL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

DsT-PAN.

Specification of Letters Patent N o. 20,811, dated July 6, 1858'.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, THOMAS E. MCNEILL, of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Dust-Pan; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specilication, in which- Figure l is a longitudinal vertical section of my improvement. Fig. 2 is a plan or top view 0f ditto.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding` parts in the two figures.

This invention consists in having the pan formed of an inclined and slightly concave surface and a dirt receptacle or box, as hereinafter shown and described, whereby the dirt is prevented from being thrust back on the floor or carpet by the return movement of the broom while the dirt is being swept into the pan.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention I will proceed to describe it.

A, represents the pan which is constructed as usual of sheet metal, and provided with a suitable handle B. This pan is formed with a receptacle or box a, at its back part, and its front part is formed of an inclined and slightly concave surface the inner and upper end 0f which is at the upper front end of the box a., the lower end of the part b, being on a level with the bottom of theJ box or receptacle a, so that when the pan is placed on the floor the front end of part Z), will be in contact with the floor and also the bottom of box a, see Fig. l.

The inclined front part of the pan may be equal to nearly one half of the whole length of the pan, and it is made of flaring form that is, it expands from its inner to its outer end as shown clearly in Fig. 2. The back part of the pan which constitutes the receptacle or box a, has a semi-circular back and its width is equal to the back end of Z). The sides and back c, of the box or receptacle a, are a trifle higher than the back part of Z), and Z), is provided with side ledges (l, which gradually diminish in height from its back to its front end. The sides and back c, of the receptacle or box a, inclines outward from the lower to the upper end, but the front side c, inclines in a reverse direction or inward from its lower to its upper end, see Fig. l. This opposite inclination of the front side e, is preferable as an acute angle is formed at the back end of the part Z), as shown at f, to catch the dust and allow it to drop in a.

The implement is used as follows: The pan is placed on the floor contiguous to the pile of dust or dirt to be gathered up, and the dust or dirt is swept up the incline Z), and drops into a, and consequently as the broom descends down I), no dust can be carried with it. The usual dust pans are simply slightly concave pans and in using them a quantity of dust and dirt is most generally swept back on the carpet or floor during the return movement' of the broom, that is, its movement outward from the pan. This objection or difficulty is obviated by my improvement.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,

Constructing the dust-pan with a dust receptacle or box a, and an inclined surface Z), substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

THOMAS E. MCNEILL. TWitnesses:

JNO. B. KENNEY, WILLIAM DELANY. 

